What Datafolha does

Datafolha (legally Datafolha Instituto de Pesquisas Ltda) is a Brazilian public opinion research institute founded in 1983 and headquartered in São Paulo. It operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Grupo Folha de S.Paulo, functioning as the in-house research arm of one of Brazil's most influential newspapers. The institute conducts electoral polling, government approval surveys, opinion and society research, and market intelligence for both media and corporate clients, including Folha de S.Paulo, TV Globo, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Unilever. Over its 40-year history, Datafolha has executed more than 7,800 studies and covered up to 650 municipalities across 25 Brazilian states.

The institute's core methodology is face-to-face survey research built on statistical sampling and randomized respondent selection. It mobilizes a field workforce of approximately 1,100 trained researchers and 250 supervisors, enforces strict protocol compliance through remote verification of field materials, and applies automatic cancellation of questionnaires when researchers violate standards. Its product portfolio spans named commercial offerings (Top of Mind for brand recall, Datafolha Brasil for national polling, Alto Renome for celebrity recognition) and broader service categories (Electoral Research, Government Evaluation, Opinion and Society, Market Intelligence, and Digital Monitoring).

Datafolha's revenue model is based on commissioned professional services. Media clients (primarily Folha de S.Paulo, with syndication to TV Globo, Bloomberg, and others) receive polling data for publication, while corporate clients contract bespoke ad hoc projects for B2C and B2B market intelligence. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated per project through commercial proposals. Distribution is anchored by the Folha de S.Paulo media platform and direct corporate sales, with the institute operating as a research services provider rather than a software or technology platform.

Name

Datafolha

Legal name

Datafolha Instituto de Pesquisas Ltda

Website

https://datafolha.folha.uol.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Datafolha is a Brazilian public opinion research institute founded in 1983 and owned by Grupo Folha de S.Paulo. It conducts electoral polling, government approval surveys, and market intelligence for media and corporate clients across Brazil using field-based statistical survey methodology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Quantitative Research & Survey Analytics (Survey Design, Sampling, Statistical Modeling) (MPAAALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fieldwork & Data Collection (Online Panels, CATI/CAPI, Fieldwork) (MPAAALAD), Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services (BPAHALAJ)

Keywords

• Public opinion research
• Electoral polling
• Market intelligence
• Survey research services
• Government approval tracking

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Media Research Contracts: Commissioned polling and research for media outlets including Folha de S.Paulo and TV Globo
2. Market Intelligence Services: Customized ad hoc projects for B2C and B2B market research, including studies for pharmaceutical companies (Boehringer Ingelheim), consumer goods (Unilever), and financial services

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Datafolha is a Brazilian public opinion research institute that conducts electoral polling, government approval surveys, and custom market intelligence projects using field-based surveys with randomized sampling. It operates a network of 1,100 field researchers and 250 supervisors conducting face-to-face interviews across Brazilian municipalities, delivering both standardized recurring surveys and commissioned ad hoc research for media, corporate, and government clients.

Product overview

Datafolha (Instituto Datafolha) is a Brazilian public opinion research institute affiliated with Folha de S.Paulo with 40 years of experience and over 7,800 studies conducted. The institute offers a portfolio of named survey products including Top of Mind (brand recall), Datafolha Brasil (national polling), and Alto Renome (celebrity recognition), alongside research service categories covering Electoral Research, Government Evaluation, Opinion and Society, Market Intelligence, and Digital Monitoring. The organization operates as a research services provider rather than a software platform, delivering custom and standardized surveys for media clients, government entities, and corporate clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Top of Mind Brand recall survey product measuring spontaneous brand awareness and top-of-mind associations among Brazilian consumers, used by corporate clients to assess brand positioning in the Brazilian market.
• Datafolha Brasil National survey product providing comprehensive polling services covering electoral, government evaluation, and societal opinion topics across Brazil with coverage spanning approximately 139 municipalities.
• Alto Renome Celebrity and public figure recognition tracking product measuring fame levels and public awareness of personalities among the Brazilian population.
• Eleitoral (Electoral Research) Electoral polling and election-related survey services covering presidential, gubernatorial, senatorial, and municipal elections for media clients and political stakeholders.
• Avaliação de Governo (Government Evaluation) Public opinion surveys measuring approval and disapproval ratings for presidents, governors, mayors, and the National Congress on a recurring basis.
• Opinião e Sociedade (Opinion and Society) Surveys on Brazilian opinions and behaviors regarding various societal topics including economic outlook, social issues, and cultural attitudes.
• Inteligência de Mercado (Market Intelligence) Custom ad hoc research projects for B2C and B2B market planning, consumer behavior analysis, and action evaluation commissioned by corporate clients across pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, and financial services.
• Monitoramento Digital (Digital Monitoring) Digital monitoring services tracking social media engagement and political campaign content for clients interested in online opinion and digital sentiment analysis.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,800+ studies conducted in 40 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Kantar: Global data, insights, and consulting company; competes with Datafolha in Brazilian brand and consumer research (e.g., Kantar BrandZ, Top of Mind equivalents) for corporate clients.
• Ipsos: Global market research and public opinion firm operating in Brazil; competes for the same enterprise and public-sector research budgets as Datafolha with broader international capabilities.
• YouGov: Global online polling and market research firm; relevant comparable for digital-first survey methodology that increasingly pressures traditional face-to-face institutes like Datafolha.
• NielsenIQ: Global consumer intelligence firm with significant Brazilian operations; competes for corporate market research and consumer behavior contracts in the same enterprise client segments.
• Gallup: Iconic global polling and analytics firm; comparable in brand recognition and public opinion methodology, though operating primarily outside Brazil — relevant benchmark for international credibility.

Direct peers

• IBOPE Inteligência: Long-standing Brazilian market research and opinion polling institute with national coverage; historically Datafolha's closest direct competitor in Brazilian electoral and consumer research.
• Vox Populi: Brazilian polling institute conducting electoral, governmental, and public opinion surveys for media and corporate clients — directly comparable methodology and customer base to Datafolha.

Others

• Pew Research Center: Nonpartisan U.S. research organization providing public opinion data on politics, media, and social trends; comparable as a methodology and credibility benchmark for non-commercial polling, though not a direct commercial competitor.

Emerging players

• Quaest Consultoria: Brazilian polling firm founded by former Datafolha researchers; emerging competitor in electoral and opinion polling with growing media client relationships across Brazil.
• AtlasIntel: Brazilian polling firm using automated phone survey methodology; competes with Datafolha in electoral polling with a faster, lower-cost delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/datafolha
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/datafolha

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Datafolha